There were few surprises in picks for the new crop of million dollar men…..
It was a collection of very good prospects teams wished were taller, or faster, or more productive in college. As teams tap-danced around land mines and weighed deficiencies against promise, the Houston Texans made the boldest effort to assert control over the unpredictable while the Panthers and Indianapolis Colts placed massive wagers on a pair of quarterbacks with divergent deficiencies.
The Panthers, who had seized the first overall pick by sending a massive haul of picks and players to the Chicago Bears, began the draft as expected by choosing Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, a peerless passer in the class who nonetheless carried trepidation. Young’s uncommon sense for the game and pinpoint accuracy promise to make him a franchise pillar, so long as his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame holds up when 300-pound bodies crash into it….
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The biggest news of draft day came hours before the first pick, when the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson agreed to a five-year contract extension. The deal made Jackson the highest-paid player in the NFL and ended a year-long saga that included a franchise tag and a trade request. Five years ago, the Ravens had taken a gamble when they traded into the first round to take Jackson, who at the time was perceived as a flawed passer. Sometimes, even in the uncertain world of the draft, a big bet can look a lot like foresight…
image …First pick QB CJ Sroud….AP